CBI rejects TUC proposals on temporary workers

The Confederation of British Industry has rejected proposals submitted by the TUC to extend full employment rights to all types of temporary workers.

The TUC raised the proposal in a submission to a government consultation on the legal status of workers and employees, but the CBI says the suggestion to extend full employment rights to temporary workers such as agency staff and casuals is “totally impractical” and would undermine flexible working.

Neil Bentley, CBI head of employee relations, says: “These types of workers are vital to our successful labour market, giving flexible job opportunities to employers and workers but the system only works well because business can take on people quickly when there are upswings in demand and workers can choose to take on work when it suits them.

“How would employers offer parental leave rights to people who are only there for short periods? How would an agency worker have unfair dismissal rights when they have no permanent assignment from which to be dismissed?

“The only way employers can answer these questions would be to offer guaranteed work and that would be another nail in the coffin of the UK&#39s flexible labour market. It would harm the people the TUC wants to help by reducing job opportunities.”

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